Even before the season, Oct. 11 was circled on the calendars of many college football fans. Now that six weeks of football have been played, Saturday’s schedule looks even better.

Three games matching six ranked teams, including four of the top five, will surely rock the national championship race, starting in Dallas at the Texas State Fair.

Oklahoma and Texas renew the Red River Rivalry, and once again the stakes are enormous. Both Big 12 South rivals are ranked in the top five. The loser not only will have its national title hopes take a hit, but just getting to the conference champion game becomes a tricky task.

Under Bob Stoops, Oklahoma is 6-3 against Texas and Coach Mack Brown, but the Longhorns have won two of the past three.

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The game also could produce a Heisman Trophy frontrunner. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is second in the nation in passer rating, while Texas quarterback Colt McCoy has completed 79 percent of this throws and leads the team in rushing.

In the SEC, the past two national champions meet in Florida’s Swamp. The Gators, who won it all in 2006, have already lost a home game. That should make for one desperate group awaiting the arrival of defending champion LSU.

The Tigers beat the Gators and Heisman winner Tim Tebow last season, converting five fourth down opportunities and rallying to win 28-24.

While it was obvious OUTexas and LSU-Florida were going to be big games, Oklahoma State-Missouri is an unlikely headliner. The Cowboys have practically matched the high-scoring Tigers point for point. Oklahoma State is No. 3 in the country in scoring at 52. 6 per game. Chase Daniel, another Heisman contender, and Missouri is second at 53. 4. The picks:

SATURDAY No. 1 Oklahoma (minus 6 1 / 2 ) vs. No. 5 Texas at Dallas The better team usually wins the Red River Rivalry, and that would be... OKLAHOMA 33-21. No. 17 Oklahoma State (plus 14 ) at No. 3 Missouri In matchup of great offenses, go with better defense... MISSOURI 55-38. No. 4 LSU (plus 6 ) at No. 11 Florida Tigers’ tough D-line vs. Gators’ shaky O-line... LSU 27-24. No. 6 Penn State (minus 6 ) at Wisconsin Can Badgers get ready for big game after two consecutive losses ?... PENN STATE 28-20. Nebraska (plus 20 1 / 2 ) at No. 7 Texas Tech Last time here, Huskers handed worst loss ever, 70-10.... TEXAS TECH 69-10. Arizona State (plus 28 ) at No. 8 Southern California Even good Sun Devils’ team usually roll over against Trojans... USC 45-13. New Mexico (plus 23 ) at No. 9 BYU BYU’s Max Hall builds his Heisman resume... BYU 50-17. Tennessee (plus 11 1 / 2 ) at No. 10 Georgia Just what Vols didn’t need — to face a ticked off bunch of Bulldogs... GEORGIA 28-14. Purdue (plus 19 ) at No. 12 Ohio State The Beanie and Terrelle show has rejuvenated Buckeyes... OHIO STATE 39-13. No. 13 Vanderbilt (minus 2 1 / 2 ) at Mississippi State Can Commodores avoid letdown ?... VANDERBILT 17-10. No. 14 Utah (minus 23 1 / 2 ) at Wyoming Cowboys have worst offense in Mountain West... UTAH 35-10. No. 15 Boise State (minus 10 1 / 2 ) at Southern Miss Broncos pounded Golden Eagles, 38-16, in Boise last season... SOUTHERN MISS 38-30. Colorado (plus 14 ) at No. 16 Kansas Home team has won eight of 11 in the series... KANSAS 35-17. Arkansas (plus 18 1 / 2 ) at No. 20 Auburn If Tigers can’t find some offense this week, it could be long season... AUBURN 28-14. Notre Dame (plus 7 1 / 2 ) at No. 22 North Carolina The echoes are stirring... NOTRE DAME 28-23. No. 23 Michigan State (minus-1 ) at Northwestern Perfect Wildcats still looking for recognition... MICHIGAN STATE 21-20. No. 25 Ball State (minus 15 1 / 2 ) at Western Kentucky High-scoring Cardinals enjoy first game as ranked team... BALL STATE 44-24. LAST WEEK 14-4 (straight ); 11-7 (vs. points ). SEASON 90-23 (straight ); 51-47 (vs. points ).